iMac model A1311 slowing down

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After owning this iMac model for 7 years it is starting to slow down noticeably. It runs using El Capitano X.11.6. I suspect it needs to be cleaned up. I see MacShiny has free software for this. Does anyone know if it is safe? Is there a better option?
 
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Need to ask one question right up front: are you making backups to an external device? That is definitely critical. If you are, what software are you using for that?

There are some things you can do on your own, along with getting some vey good free software for dong some cleanup. From a google search of "MacShiny", it seems like a bad product, along the lines of CleanMyMac and MacKeeper. Here is one of those "hits" from the search:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7402630?start=15&tstart=0

The first thing is to do as much disk cleanup on your own. This could involve getting rid of duplicates of files, stuff you no longer needed, etc. One possible source is to look inside your downloads folder.

Next, here are some excellent free applications you can download:

Onyx - available from here: https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html (make sure to get the correct version)

AppCleaner - available from here: https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/

Malwarebytes - available from here: https://www.malwarebytes.com/

GrandPerspective - available from here: http://grandperspectiv.sourceforge.net/

Onyx is a good cleaning tool, has been around for a number of years, and has had excellent reviews. When you run it, execute the following tasks:

Under Maintenance: Permissions (you'll most likely need to run that a number of times)
Scripts
Rebuilding

Under Cleaning: Everything except Erasing

For AppCleaner, it does a very good job at removing both an application and all the associated "pieces".

Malwarebytes is good at finding whatever adware there is on your machine.

Finally, GrandPerspective provides a graphical way to seeing the space taken up by files on your machine.

Now, what third party applications do you use? And have you kept those up to date?

Next, when you have upgraded the Mac OS, did you do those upgrades "in place", ie, have the new Mac OS basically overwrite what was there already?

Finally, it might be wise to invest in a robust disk cleanup/maintenance/repair program, like Tech Tool Pro or Disk Warrior. I use both Onyx and Tech Tool Pro every week as part of my disk cleanup/maintenance/repair, and backup (use SuperDuper! for that) tasks, and I would not be without them.
 
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Thanks for your quick reply. I will avoid MacShiny and look at your suggestions.

I use an (attached) Time Machine for backup. The software was last updated when I updated to El Capitano in 2015. It and a Microsoft Office update were installed by a Mac store. I think maybe the OSX (Tiger) that was originally on the machine was left on the machine but I can't see it anywhere.
Available storage on the HDD is running at about 60%.

Machine is about 7 years old but doesn't move anywhere. Maybe due for replacement before it up and dies?
 
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There is the "possibility" that your internal hard drive could be going "bad". One way to check that out now is to boot your iMac to the (hidden) Recovery HD partition. This link explains how to do that:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

Once you get that screen, select the last option, "Disk Utility". Have it Verify and Repair your internal drive.

However, it might be best to first make a Time Machine backup (I guess that would be an incremental one; sorry I am not more precise about that, as I use SuperDuper! for my backups).

Even after you do everything I suggested, and everything is OK, you might want to consider doin a clean, fresh, "virgin" installation" of whatever Mac OS you want. El Capitan is fine, but Sierra (OS 10.12.6) is also a stable OS.

One other thing: did the Mac store install Office 2016? If so, what version do you have? Earlier today, V15.41 of Office 2016 was released. I have already downloaded the applicable programs I use, installed them, along with upgrading to High Sierra. They all seem to work fine.
 
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Thanks for the advice. It will probably take a few days before I can follow up with all your suggestions - it takes me awhile to do things. Will let you know how things go.

I am using version 15.33 of Office and it was installed by the Mac store. Sounds like I may get an update notice soon.

Will my 7 year old machine safely upgrade to Sierra? I will try all the cleanup steps first and see if that works.'
 
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First, your iMac can run Sierra, OS 10.12.6.

Secondly, I don't think you will get notified of needing an update to Office 2016. You usually need to "find" them yourself. However, Office 2016 also comes with a module entitled "Microsoft AutoUpdate", and you can configure it to update via 3 ways: Manually Check, Automatically Check, and Automatically Download and Install. I have mine as Manually Check, as I much prefer to control how and when an update is applied. I have an icon of the App in my Doc.

Here is a link for all the updates to Office 2016:

https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...542-9954-7e3209681a41?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US

I also started a thread here yesterday about that update. It's located "under" Mac Applications.
 
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Finally got around to implementing all your suggestions. Seems to have helped quite a bit. I also like the new OS - just upgraded to Sierra at this point.
Thanks for your helpful suggestions.
 
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Sounds good, and you're welcome.

Actually, staying with Sierra would be wise. Upgrading to High Sierra has not been that pleasant of an experience for me.
 
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Just when I thought all was well in Mac land my Brother DCP-7065DN printer won't print properly since I upgraded to Sierra. It copies and scans fine but always prints out 13 blank pages whenever I go to print anything. Tried downloading the drivers again, running Onyx and rebooting several times but it did not help.

Any suggestions? Maybe time for me to just go to the Mac store and get things done by the pros?
 
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Printers definitely can be challenging! Here is the list of supported printers for the 5 most recent versions of the Mac OS:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201465

Your printer is on that list. Are you using the drivers that came with Sierra, or the ones that are on the site for Brothers' printers?
 
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I downloaded the drivers from the Brother site today but I am not sure where to go to tell which set of drivers is being accessed by the printer. It worked fine with El Capitano.
 
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I don't where to look either. I have a Canon PIXMA MP500 printer, and about a year or so before I downloaded all the drivers from Canon's site. But I have not done anything else with that, and it works fine, both with Sierra, and now High Sierra.
 
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Went online to Brother site. Followed their suggestions - basically delete all printers and then add in your printer. Worked.
 
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Good. Glad you got it working. It is always perplexing as to whether to use the printer drivers that come built in within the Mac OS, or use the ones from the manufacturer. For some older printers, there are no such drivers contained within the Mac OS. But such is not the case for you or I.
 

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